After more than a year away from the UFC, Gabriel Gonzaga made his return at UFC 142, defeating Edinaldo Oliveira via first-round submission.

Gonzaga felt that he was too focused on striking during his last stint with the UFC and decided to refocus on his grappling for this bout.

Clearly the rededication did wonders for Gonzaga, as he was able to make very short work of Oliveira.

What we'll remember about this fight

Gonzaga's dominance on the ground.

Standing, neither fighter mounted much offense and it was a relatively even match, but once Gonzaga took the fight to the ground, it became quickly apparent who the more well-rounded fighter was.

Gonzaga was able to control Oliveira with ease from top position and eventually cinched up the rear-naked choke.

What we learned about Gabriel Gonzaga:

He belongs in the UFC.

Gonzaga was once considered one of the top heavyweights on the planet and, although it's yet unclear whether he has returned to that form, it's evident that he at least deserves to be a part of the UFC's heavyweight division.

Oliveira is a tough up-and-coming fighter, who trains with heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos, and Gonzaga was able to make quick work of him.

Based on that, he at least has what it takes to be a gatekeeper.

What we learned about Edinaldo Oliveira

Little.

Gonzaga made sure that we didn't get much time to learn anything about this guy.

His boxing technique looked good and his ground game looked bad.

That's about it.

What's next for Gabriel Gonzaga

Gonzaga has a lot of recognition with the UFC because of his devastating knockout victory Mirko Cro Cop.

Because of his name recognition, Gonzaga will likely receive an equally well-known opponent in his next matchup.

Roy Nelson and Stefan Struve are both possibilities.

What's next for Edinaldo Oliveira:

Despite the loss, Oliveira is still a promising fighter, and the UFC will likely keep him around.

Mark Hunt, Christian Morecraft, and Ben Rothwell could be next.

Andrew Barr is a Featured Columnist for BleacherReport.com. For updates on what's happening in the world of MMA, follow him on Twitter @AndrewBarr8.